Monday, May 21, 2018

Do it like the Danes this Whole Grain Week!

In
Australia, Nordic nations are best known for their chilly climate, flat-pack
furniture, and addictive TV crime shows, but why not their whole grain habits? This
Whole Grain Week, we’re encouraging you to eat like the Danish – who enjoy more than three times
the amount of whole grain than most Aussies!

Whole
Grain Week (18-24 June) is all about spreading the word on how important whole
grain foods are in our diet, and inspiring Australians to make simple swaps for
big health benefits.

Whole
grain foods like brown rice, pasta, oats, and wholemeal bread are packed with
nutrition, and there’s good evidence that people who eat them regularly are
less likely to develop heart disease, type 2 diabetes, even bowel cancer.

But
unfortunately few Australians eat enough; 59% of us choose refined grains,
eating an average of just

21g whole grain per day – less than half the recommended 48g Daily Target Intake.

The
‘New Nordic Diet,’ is one of the latest diets where whole
grain foods feature heavily - think rye bread, oats, and barley, so it will come
as no surprise that Danes devour an average of 63 grams of whole grain each day
– trebling the Aussie effort!

Most
of us know whole grain foods are full of fibre, but Accredited Practising
Dietitians Alex Parker and Anna Debenham from The Biting Truth say there’s
actually much more to it. “Whole grains are little nutrition powerhouses,
delivering more than 26 nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, fibre, even
antioxidants.”

So
why don’t we eat more whole grain? For many Australians, it comes down to the
extra time it may take to cook whole grains, as well as simply being in the
habit of choosing refined grains like white bread, rice, and pasta. So how can
you enjoy the health benefits of eating more, without compromising on taste or
time? Themis Chryssidis and Callum Hann, from Sprout Cooking School say a bit
of prior planning is key:

“Many
whole grain varieties actually only take an average of just 4 minutes longer to
cook than white varieties. But you can cut cooking time further by soaking
grains like freekeh or brown rice overnight, or for a few hours in advance. You
could also cook a big batch of whole grains on a free afternoon and freeze
individual portions in snap-lock bags or containers – ready to throw in your
lunch bag or defrost for dinner!” says Themis, an Accredited Practising
Dietitian.

The
duo also suggest checking out the expanding grains section in the supermarket,
which is bursting with convenient microwaveable products and interesting new
varieties – think quinoa/rice mixes, wild rice and every colour rice you can
imagine - red, black, purple, barley, teff, amaranth, buckwheat and many more.

So why not try a few simple swaps this Whole Grain Week to boost your health, without compromising on taste or time. Check out our handy ready reckoner to see how you can reach your 48g every day!

The Biting Truth’s top three whole grain nutrition
benefits!1. Eating whole
grains protects our health in the long-term, against things like cardiovascular
disease, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancer. 2. Choosing
whole grain foods may help with weight maintenance: people who eat whole grains
regularly are likely to have a healthy weight and waist circumference.3. They’re
great for our gut: the fibre in whole grains ‘feeds’ our good gut bacteria,
which may improve our health in other ways – controlling our appetite, reducing
inflammation, and boosting immunity.

Try these delicious recipes to help you hit your whole grain target!- These delicious Baked Oatsare a breakfast the whole family will love.- Enjoy a classic for lunch with anEgg & Lettuce Sandwichon wholemeal bread.- Make a batch of these Corn & Zucchini Muffinsto tide you over for morning or afternoon tea!- For dinner, this Freekeh, Lentil & Bean Salad makes a great stand-alone or side dish with fish.For more information on Whole Grain Week or to find out how you can help spread the whole grain message, visit our website here.